A story of duty, faith, sacrifice and really big swords, Marc Collins’ Champions, All (his second short story for Black Library) is a tale of the Black Templars with bonus Sisters of Battle. As the battered remnants of the Edioch Crusade prepare a head-on assault against an ork-held fortress, once protected by the Order of the Valorous Heart, Emperor’s Champion Cenric receives a vision from the Emperor Himself. When he’s separated from his brothers during the battle he finds his faith tested, but his purpose is renewed by striking at the heart of the orks alongside a lone Sister Repentia.
Battle Sisters and Black Templars make for a great combination, each driven by faith that manifests in slightly different ways. While Cenric and Sister Penance are worlds apart – one an object of adoration for his brothers, the other a tangible representation of sin for her sisters – they share complimentary drives, and make for a really engaging combination of characters. It’s an action-packed story as the two warriors throw themselves into the fray (with visceral impact), but look past the fighting and it’s their drive and determination to live up to expectations that’s really being explored. It’s a great example of how action can provide character and pathos in a short story, and an enjoyable depiction of both of these factions.
This was released as part of the 2019 Black Library Advent Calendar – click here to see the main page for the Advent Calendar on Track of Words, with links to all of the reviews.
